Category Archives: Change

Can’t do everything? Well, that is a good opportunity for advocates, ambassadors, and growth

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Lately I’ve worked with clients as they struggle to build their organizations.  Usually the conversation contains something like

“I can’t do it all and I need help with people to care and perform as well as I do”

“I need to find advocates for our organization who can get our message out”

“I need people who can present our story to others in a passionate and convincing way”

At the core, what the conversation is about is…inspiring others.

It’s also about creating advocates, partners, ambassadors for you, your organization, etc. which can carry your message within your organization and to others “outside”.

In discussions with them, I’ve mentioned 3 things to keep in mind:

  1. You can’t do everything
  2. No one will do it you way
  3. You have to inspire, train, and appreciate others

Usually, the first one is easy to discuss.  In fact, it’s the impetus.  They already know they can’t do everything.  Yet, what they don’t realize is that it’s not about “can’t” and really about “shouldn’t”.  In other words, they should look to others for help:

  • to develop and implement
  • to communicate with others
  • to improve upon the current situation

The shift to “should” involves helping them understand their role as leaders.  Leaders must focus on their role to lead.  Often, it’s not to focus on implementation.  Rather, they inspire others.  They set the vision.  They set the tone.

The second and third items are related.

Yes, by definition, no on will do it your way.  Early in my career, I was part of a Nortel/BNR program for new employees.  We were trained to do it the ‘right way’–what to say, when, and how.  I didn’t enjoy delivering the program (and nor did the majority of my colleagues).  Why?  Because it was not designed to be flexible to meet local needs.  Variation and customization was frowned up (I was downgraded on an annual evaluation simply for reversing the order of topics). 

But isn’t standardization good?  Shouldn’t people follow guidelines?  I often am asked this.

Well, yes.  But also you need to allow for people to use their brains and not just their hands, as one of my earliest managers taught me.

The implications are this:

Select, train, appreciate, and monitor.  All of these elements are important to success. 

Recently, I worked with a client on a new Ambassador Program for their organization.  This involves asking members to become advocates within their organization as well as within the community.  This exciting program has already inspired more participation and dedication not just with the Ambassadors but also within the organization.  In other words, people have become inspired to use their unique talents.

It’s the unique talent that is at the core of “no one will do it your way”.  As well, because of the training and materials each Ambassador received, they are equipped and inspired.

What has been already seen with this client, is a renewal of participation at all levels in the organization. 

It takes a strong leader to create the environment.  They must become comfortable (and skilled) with letting-go, inspiring others, and focusing on their role as leaders.

Sometimes closing a door means other openings occur

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Several weeks ago, I reconnected with an old friend and colleague.  It had been a few years since we’d seen one another.  Both of us have been busy.  Yet, it was fantastic to see each other.

During our conversation we talked about clients and projects over the past few years.  She’s been busy with several young entrepreneurial clients while I have concentrated on nonprofit clients (along with a corporate client that I’ve worked with for many years) particularly concentrating on strategic planning.

What we both discovered that we were at a crossroads, a change, a transition.

We then joked that as consultants who help organizations through change, we should have been able to recognize this!  And know what to do about it!

For her, the change lies in the evolution of her firm and work.  She’s getting less requests for consulting and more for training.  She expressed a mixture of comfort (she knows how to do this and is quite good at it) along with disappointment (it’s less creative and more formulaic than she prefers).

On my end, I expressed sadness in losing two very long-term clients (one of 15 years and the other for the past 7).  As a consultant, you hate to lose a client.

Don’t get me wrong, we weren’t drowning our sorrows or venting on one other.

Rather what happened was a discussion on ‘change’.

You see, change isn’t easy for anyone–even those who help others through it.

So we spent a couple hours walking through the various models and tools that we use with others–on ourselves.

We talked about SARAH–the model based on the work of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross that I frequently use with clients:  Shock, Anger, Reflection, Acceptance, and Hope.

Then about Lewin’s model of change–quickly realizing there was something to be said about those things that “help” you and those that “hinder”.

It was perhaps during this part of the discussion that I remarked to her “so your long-proven skills as a trainer, an educator, a mentor, an expert are helping you.  This return to training isn’t a return.  It’s a movement towards something at which you have expertise”.

In turn she said “what you forget is that you work to improve people and organizations and that part of that help is to get them a point of being self-sufficient.”

All fine and good but we had to then confront what was making us feel bad about these changes.  Then it dawned on us that it was back to the early stages of change–whether that be the “shock/anger”  of SARAH or “unfreezing”  of Lewin.

There was a bit of silence and then we both remarked that this was good–not the conversation but what we were going through.  It was forcing us to change.  It was presenting us with closed doors.  It was also presenting us with other channels to move forward.  Other openings were happening.

You see, both of us have a lot of options in the coming months.  We just couldn’t see them.  We were looking too much as the back of a closed door and, in doing so, were missing the many other ways to move forward.

As she remarked “one of my favorite things to tell others is that leadership is about how to cope with change while management is coping with the resultant issues and tasks”. 

This really hit home for me particularly with a current strategic plan project I’m doing with a synagogue.  I quickly realized that the reason it was going so well was because they have a very strong leadership team in clergy, staff, and among lay leaders.  Yes, to be a leader means you have to cope for yourself, others, and your organization.

Coping is about emotions and feelings–something we often push aside even in ourselves.

Of course, there is always some degree of sadness at an ending.  But, there is also time to look forward to new challenges.

We then scribbled a few notes for ourselves:

  • Moving forward and change happens to everyone, often without warning
  • Change isn’t always your choice–your reaction to it is
  • Take time to ponder your past–analyze what helped your success–and then make a plan to move forward
  • Find a trusted person to help you, to talk with, and that can be honest with you
  • When doors close, windows and other doors open–look at them instead of the back of a closed door

We chuckled towards the end.  We realized that what we had done together is consult with one another.  That added another one to the list:

  • Everyone experiences change

We ended by taking our own advice and with a commitment.  Don’t go it alone.

So we’re having lunch again in August.

 

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